Pedal foot-piece.



- T. l. DUFFY.

PEDAL FOOT PIECE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12. 1914.

1 l 5 1 ,766, Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

jZZ// 40772425127929 UNTTED STATE PATENT @FFTQE.

THOMAS I. DUFFY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 AUGUSTUSH. BAKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PEDAL FOOT-PIECE.

Application filed October 12, 1914.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS I. DUFFY, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the countyof Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pedal Foot-Pieces; and I do hereby'declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters ofreference marked thereon,'which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a novel pedal through which power may beapplied to operate any kind of mechanism by foot pressure. The pedal isparticularly adapted for use in connection with brake or clutchmechanisms for automobiles.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a pedal having a partfor contact with the foot of such shape and character that foot pressuremay be applied thereto without giving particular attention to fittingthe foot to the pedal pad, and further constructed to prevent the footslipping off the pad in case the sole of the shoe or the pad bemoistened. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a pedal possessing thesecharacteristics which may be economically made and assembled.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide a pedal structure whichis very rigid and durable and which is capable of withstanding severeusage without danger of breakage.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pedal embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is an axial section'thereof, with the shank inelevation. Fig. 3 is a face View of the pedal. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 areperspective views of the elements of the pedal. Fig. 7

is an axial section of a modification. Fig. 8

is a fragmentary section of a modification.

A pedal embodying my invention consists mainly of three elements, outerand inner cup-shaped members 10, 11, respectively, and an intermediatepad 12 which is provided with a face 14 adapted for direct con tact withthe foot of the driver, the said pad being confined between the framemembers 10 and 11. Said pad is made of a material Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

Serial No. 866,284.

having a comparatively high coeflicient of friction, such as rubber,cork, leather or the l1ke, so as to prevent the foot slipping therefrom,regardless of the angle at which the foot is presented to the pad andalso regardless of the fact that the shoe or the pad may be covered withwater or mud.

In the particular embodiment of the invention herein shown the framemembers 10, ll are of conical cross section and the pad 1s annular andtapered at its rear edge to be confined between the lip of the flange ofthe smaller inner cup-shaped member and the base portion of the flangeof the outer member. The inner and outer frame members are preferablymade of sheet metal by a suitable stamping or swaging operation. Thebottom walls 17, 18 of said frame members are provided with registeringopenings to receive the screw-threaded stud 19 f the shank or arm 20 ofthe pedal. The particular type of shank or arm employed depends upon thecharacter of brake or clutch mechanism (or other equipment in which thepedal is incorporated). As shown, the shank is rigid with the pad frame,but may be loosely or pivotally connected thereto. The shank is providedin front of the pedal pad with a shoulder 21 which bears against thefront flat wall of the outer cupshaped member, and between which and anut 22, screw-threaded to the stud 19 and bearingagainst the rear orinner side of the flat wall of the inner cup member, said Walls arepressed to clamp the flanged portions of said cup-shaped members uponthe pad 12. It will be observed from an inspection of Fig. 2 that theflat walls of the cupshaped members are separated to such extent as tocause said walls to spring slightly toward each other, whereby theclamping action of the flanges or walls of said cupshaped'members arebrought with a yielding pressure against the annular wall of the pad.The pad 12 is provided with an exterior, forwardly facing annularshoulder 15 which is adapted to bear against the larger edge 16 of theouter cup-shaped member, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to properly supportthe bearing face of the pad. The bearing face of said pad is preferablyroughened or fluted to give reliable friction holding propertiesthereto.

The construction, when assembled, is very rigid and possesses greatstrength. It pre 9P; to, clamp the. said vframe. members on the pad.

sents a contact face to the foot of the driver of such shape that itdoes not become necessary for the driver to give particular attention tofit the foot to the pedal, as is true of the types of pedals usuallyemployed in automobile practice. Furthermore, by reason of thefrictional character of the pedal pad the foot is not likely to slip offthe pedal even when presented at an unfavorable angle to the pedal orwhen the pad or sole of the shoe is wet.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modified construction wherein the clampingframe members consist of a conical cup 25, a flat central plate or disk26 apertured to receive the stud of the pedal shank or arm, and a padconsisting of a central body portion 27 through which the stud 19extends and a conical wall or flange 28 that is supported by the taperedwall 30 of the cup and extends rearwardly beyond the said conical wallfor contact with the foot of the driver. In the latter construction, thepad is confined in place by the clamping action of the flat plate 26 andthe wall of the cup 25.

Preferably an interlocking connection is provided between the shank 20and one or both of the frame members which may consist of lugs 35 in thecentral openings of the frame members adapted to engage grooves formedin the studs 19 of the shanks 20. Any other suitable interlockingconnection may be provided between the shank and the frame to avoidrotation of the foot piece rel atively to the shank.

In Fig. 7 the nut 38 which locks the pad frame to the shank is formedwith a central reduced extension 39 which extends through a centralopening of the frame member wall 18 and bears against the frame memberwall 17 to. press the latter against the shouldered portion of the shankwith a positive metal to metal clamping effect. The shoulder 40 betweenthe extension 39 and the body of the nut acts against the wall 18 topress said walls together to clamp the frame members upon the pad.

It will be obvious that the invention may be embodied in other forms ofdevices which structurally differ from the forms herein shown. Forinstance, while the pad shown has a circular contact face it may be madeoval. .It is preferable, however, that the shape of the pad face be suchas to present no sharp corners, although the latter contour is intendedto fall within the spirit of the invention as embraced in the broaderclaims hereto appended.

I claim as my invention 1. In a, pedal, a frictional pad, frame members,between which the pad is adapted to be clamped and a shank extendingthrough alined openings in the frame mem bers. and provided withclamping means frictional face, and confined partially between saidframe members upon the pad, said pad having an exterior shoulder toengage a supporting shoulder on one of the frame members.

' l. A foot pedal comprising inner and outer cup-shaped frame members ofconic section and an interposed pad having its forward portion confinedbetween the walls of said frame members and having its rear bearingportion supported by the forward edge of the outer frame member andclamp ing means to clamp said frame members on said pad.

5. A foot pedal comprising inner and outer cup-shaped frame members ofconic section and an interposed pad having its forward portion confinedbetween the walls of said frame members and having its rear bearingportion supported by the forward edge of the outer frame member, saidframe members being perforated and a pedal shank extending therethrough,with clamping means thereon to clamp the frame members on the pad.

6. A foot pedal comprising inner and outer. cup-shaped members providedwith apertured walls and conic walls or flanges, an annular frictionalpad confined between the said conic walls and a shouldered screwthreadedshank member extending through said apertured end walls and providedwith a clamping nut which opposes the shoulder on the shank.

7. A foot pedal comprising inner and outer cup-shaped members providedwith apertured walls and conic walls or flanges, an annular frictionalpad confined between the said conic walls and a shouldered screwthreadedshank member extending through said apertured end walls and providedwith a clamping nut which opposes the shoulder on the shank, saidcontact member being provided with an exterior rearwardly facingshoulder to engage and be supported by a shoulder on the outercup-shaped member.

8. A foot pedal comprising inner and outer cup-shaped frame members ofconic cross section, an interposed pad having its forward portionconfining between the walls of said frame members and having its rearbearing portion supported by the forward.

edge of the outer frame member, said frame members belng perforated anda pedal -shankextending therethrough, with clamping presence of tWoWitnesses, this 22nd day of means thereon to clamp the frame membersSeptember, A. D. 1914.

on the pad, and non-rotative interlocking connections between said shankand frame 7 THOMAS DUFFY 5 members. Witnesses:

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing W. L. HALL, as my invention Iafiix my signature in the G. E. DOWLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

